New Delhi, March 9 : The Supreme Court has agreed to examine a query if smuggling of gold could be termed as a terrorist activity under the provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
A bench of Justices R.F. Nariman and B.R. Gavai sought response from the Centre and National Investigating Agency (NIA) on a plea challenging the Rajasthan High Court order.
The High Court had refused to quash the FIR registered by the probe agency under the offences of UAPA.
Mohammad Aslam, the petitioner in the matter, was caught at Jaipur International Airport for smuggling over 1.5 Kg gold. Aslam has moved the top court, through advocate Aditya Jain, seeking stay of investigation and the proceedings connected with FIR, which was registered by NIA under provisions of UAPA.
“Issue notice”, said the top court in its order.
The plea has contested NIA’s registration of an FIR citing that the gold was smuggled with the intent to threaten the economic security and also attacking the monetary stability of the country. Initially, the customs officials registered an FIR, later the NIA registered a second FIR after the case was transferred to it. The petitioner has argued NIA’s allegations of economic terrorism are arbitrary. The petitioner contended he lost his job in Saudi Arabia, where he worked as a labourer, during the Covid pandemic.
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